Why Is A Lifestyle Downgrading So Hard?

Loading player...
Mantsha Pheeha, Author and Certified Coach talks about Abantu bazothini leading you to financial ruin? 5 tips to help you conquer fears of downgrading

Why are we so scared of what people will think or say about us if we drive a Corolla instead of a Porsche Cayenne — and live in Westonaria instead of Waterfall?

Why does the ‘Abantu Bazothini’ syndrome wield so much power over us?

“The problem is that some people don’t pluck up enough courage to downgrade as they see this move as too ‘humiliating’ for them. Pride gets in the way. I’m sorry to say, but pride comes before the fall and it takes you ten steps back,” writes Money Psychologist and columnist, Winnie Kunene, in one of her blog posts.

South Africa’s favourite #FinancialFitnessBunny, Nicolette Mashile, weighs in with another angle.

“If you come from a background where you’ve been a ‘have-not’ for a very long time, downgrading your lifestyle is difficult because you almost feel like you’ve graduated from ‘the struggle’ and you’re in a different space. So, the thought of downgrading hits hard; it’s a psychological and personal journey that one didn’t think they would need to go through,” says Mashile, a social entrepreneur, TV host and financial speaker.
23 Jan 2023 2PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

Surge in Fake Traffic Fine SMSes Prompts Warning from Fines SA.

GUEST: Barry Berman, CEO of Fines SA A growing wave of fake traffic fine SMSes is leaving South African motorists anxious, out of pocket, and still liable for legitimate fines. Barry Berman, CEO of Fines SA, unpacks the latest scam tactics being used by fraudsters who send urgent-looking messages claiming…
18 Dec 3PM 9 min

Crypto in 2025: The Year in Review.

GUEST: Christo de Wit, Country Manager at Luno As 2025 draws to a close, the cryptocurrency industry is no longer asking whether it belongs in mainstream finance, but how deeply it is already embedded. This year marked a decisive shift as digital assets moved from the fringes into the financial…
18 Dec 3PM 9 min

EKASINOMICS - How WASAA Is Reshaping South Africa’s Petrochemicals Sector

GUEST: Nokwanele Qonde – Founder & Managing Director, WASAA Group From LPG and logistics to chemicals, commodities and large-scale infrastructure, WASAA is quietly building one of South Africa’s most compelling black industrial success stories. In this conversation we unpack how a black-women owned petrochemicals company is driving growth through diversification…
17 Dec 2PM 26 min

Inflation Eases, But the Grocery Bill Tells a Different Story

GUEST: Johann Els – Old Mutual Group Chief Economist. South Africa’s inflation story is showing signs of relief but it’s not all good news for households. Headline consumer inflation slowed to 3.5% in November, its lowest reading in months, helped by falling fuel prices and a sharp drop in used…
17 Dec 2PM 27 min